Nickalus (Nick) Johnson was born December 19, 1846 at Toten, Norway, the son of Johannes and Martha Christianson.
He is believed to have come to Filmore County, Minnesota in the late 1860's and came to Barnes County by wagon train in 1880. He settled in Section 12, Thordenskjold Township.
Nick's first wife was Berthe Olson by whom he had three children. Berthe died and he married Clara Elizabeth Hellickson, and this union produced four children.
The children by his first wife were: Jorgen, Mathilda and Olaf. Jorgen was killed in an accident when nine years of age. Mathilda married Martin Miller and they had two children; Marie (Mrs. Jorgen Frydenlund) and Bertha (Mrs. Oliver Lund). Olaf died at the age of 47, leaving a wife, Mabel and a family.
Nick's marriage to Clara resulted in the following children; Melvin (deceased), Bertha (deceased), Nettie and Waldemar, who live in Valley City.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 116